Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mandates federal government agencies, as well as any organization that does business with the federal government, to make their information technology accessible for individuals with disabilities. In 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was amended to include electronic and information technology, such as websites.
In other words, if your organization contracts with or is regulated by federal agencies then your website and/or app must be made in a way that's equally accessible for individuals with disabilities.
If your company's website isn't made to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, then you're at risk of becoming one of the growing number of organizations that are being sued for noncompliance.
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Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
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Who Needs to Comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?
Compliance requirements detailed in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to any company that contracts with or is regulated by the U.S. federal government.
Examples of the types of businesses that must satisfy Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 accessibility requirements include:
- Credit unions,
- Banks,
- Schools and universities,
- Health care companies, such as medical practices, hospitals, nursing homes and more
- Construction companies,
- Real estate companies,
- and other types of companies
Not Sure If Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Applies to Your Business? Your Website May Still Need to Comply with Website Accessibility Standards.
While Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 relates to federal agencies and the companies that do business with the federal government, additional federal laws require that any business that is open to the public must comply with website accessibility standards.
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) has been amended to apply to business websites. Much like a storefront is required by the ADA to be accessible via wheelchair ramps or elevators, your website also needs to be made in a way that people with disabilities can interact with your website just as easily as individuals without disabilities.
For example, burger chain Five Guys was sued because their website wasn't made in a way that made it equally easy for an individual with a disability to place an online order compared to an individual without a disability.
Avoid Expensive and Extensive Litigation.
More Businesses Are Being Sued for Failing to Comply with Website Accessibility Laws, Such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
In addition to the above mentioned Five Guys lawsuit, businesses are increasingly being sued for website accessibility compliance.
"Many companies, however, fail to make their website accessible to those with disabilities, such as the blind or deaf. This common mistake has resulted in a drastic spike in lawsuits in what is arguably the fastest growing type of litigation..."
- Central New York Business Journal, Nov. 22, 2017
"Several New York universities and colleges are improving the accessibility of their websites to individuals with disabilities while facing lawsuits alleging their websites do not comply with standards from the Americans With Disabilities Act.
About 50 institutions are being sued..."
- Ithaca Journal, June 13, 2019
Make it right before you get sued.
To comply with website accessibility regulations, including Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973...
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Companies Rely On ACS Web Design and SEO When They Need to Comply With Website Accessibility Regulations
There is an extensive list of precise requirements that must be fulfilled in order to make a website compliant with the ADA or Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
While you can see our 508 Compliance Checklist or ADA Compliance Checklist, most of these requirements are technical and functional requirements that need to be implemented by professional web developers and web designers.
While businesses need their website to comply with accessibility regulations, it's our job to understand what exactly needs to be done to make a website comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA. ACS Web Design and SEO is the best web design company when it comes to making websites comply with accessibility requirements. Our team of usability experts, web developers and web designers understand the specific ways in which a website needs to be structured in order to be compliant.
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Compliant with Accessibility Regulations.
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We've Helped All Types of Businesses Comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA
ACS Web Design and SEO has the experience you need to make your organization's website comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA.
As a federal credit union, SECNY needed to upgrade their website to comply with both Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA. ACS Web Design and SEO delivered a custom, compliant website design.
ACS Web Design and SEO also created a custom insurance website design for Finger Lakes Fire and Casualty Company. The new Finger Lakes Fire and Casualty Company is made to fulfill website accessibility requirements. We also provided Finger Lakes Fire and Casualty Company with documentation of ADA website compliance.